Friday, January 15, 2016

Home Alternatives To Elizabethan Collar To Keep Any Pet Comfortable After Surgery

By Patricia Kennedy


Taking care of our canine companions can be both fun and rewarding. Unfortunately it is only a matter of time until they need surgery or a medical condition comes up that requires them to leave a portion of their body alone for an extended period of time. Since it is impossible to explain to dogs why they need to leave certain areas alone, it is important to have methods of preventing them from licking or chewing at their bodies. Here are some alternatives to Elizabethan collar that you can use.

An Elizabethan collar (also known as an e-collar) is a large plastic cone that is attached to an animal's neck. It is designed so that an animal cannot reach areas on their body such as their stomach or their legs. It is often used when a pet has a skin condition or they have had surgery and when licking would cause infection or other medical complications.

Not all dogs do well wearing these items. Cones can catch on the ground or on furniture. It may be difficult for canines to eat or drink while wearing their e-collar. Some panic because they do not like how sounds change when they have their cone on.

Many people think that a dog can lick a wound and heal it. This is often not the case. Licking can introduce bacteria. It can also dissolve stitches and open up a wound. This can cause a medical emergency if the wound or incision opens up completely.

One alternative to the dreaded cone is to use a tee shirt or pair of shorts to cover the incision. This works very well when an incision was made on the pet's stomach, sides or back. It may work less well if the affected area was on a leg or tail since these can be easier for the dog to reach. If you do decide to try this method of covering the affected area you do need to monitor your pet.

Another alternative is to use an inflatable collar that prevents the dog or cat from turning their head and getting at a particular part of their body. These can be quite comfortable and make it easy for a pet to eat and drink. It is also less likely that a pet will catch themselves on a door or on furniture with an inflatable collar.

If you are not dealing with an incision you may be able to use something like bitter apple to make an area taste unappealing. Just make sure that the product you use is non-toxic and made for such a purpose. There are certain creams and lotions that you can apply which will help heal the skin and deter a pet from licking.

If you are unsure how a particular product will work for your pet, you can always speak with your veterinarian as they may have other ideas that you can use so that using the cone can be avoided. You may need to be creative but there are ways that you can help your pet recover.




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